Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-08-12

THE FINISHING TOUCHES.
The Grand Pile Known ~ the State,
War and Navy Departments Building
Nearly Completed.
coNNoDIoUs QUARTERS FOR THR SCATTERED BUREAUS
OF THE WAR DEPARTXENT-FEATUREso OF THE WEST
wING-THE LIBRARY-TBE sECRErARYs ROOM, ETC
Any one who should walk through the new
wings OF the State, War and Navy Departments
building would be surprised at the rapid progress
being made In finishing the interior, and would
have no doubt OF the completion of the building
early in the new year, when the new portion can
be occupied by the War Department Bureaus,
which are now scattered about the city In rented
buildings. The exterior Of the building is COM
pleted, with the exception Of the large flight of
steps which will correspond to those on the east
ern front OF the building. Preparations
are now being made to erect them. They
will rest on a flying arch, extending
from the ground to the wall OF the building instead
OF being built solid as was done on the other
pavement OF large f1agstOnes which is to extend
from the south front until 1t meets the pavement
=, Sa,d Sne ENC n4rsh wing Ihe stones which had been
taken up, as nothing had been decided about
grade when it was first laid. When finished this
VIII be one Of the finest sidewalks in the city.
The large flagstones are laid on brick founda-
tion, which is allowed to settle well before the
stones are laid.
PERFECT PLANS IN DETAIL OF ALL THE WORK.
Before the construction OF the new wings was
ence to every detail that every stone, ue, pipe
hole {and the structure is network OF them) was
provided for. Everything had its place. With the
arrangements so complete the construction work
were once commenced, and only little over three
years have elapsed since the foundation was dug.
mhe ,SSo S6xeways vs. into the Souryards correspond
be driven straight through from Executive avenue
to 18th street. The sub-baSement Is a labyrinth
OF b01ler-rOOmS, coal vaults &C., all in complete
readiness to begin work.
FINISHED FROM THE TOP DOWN.
The building, however, is being finished from
the top down. In the attic the office rooms seem
all ready for occupancy, while, as one descends 1t
is noticed that the work is not quite SO far ad-
the outside Of the building, it was as possible to
raise its roof and provide ten good airy and light
Office rooms. The center pavilion OF the east
library. In the Navy Department the library
occupies similar location but 1t is on the fourth
floor, while in the new wing the library is In the
room for Off1ce uses.
THE NEW LIBRARY
will be about 40 feet high, and will be unusually
well adapted for library purposes The only thing
destructible in it will be the books themselves
timing else Will Oe either iron or OF glass
The center OF the room will be open, with pass
ages leading from 1t to the shelves around it
These passages Will be entered through arches
from roplated iron columns. These columns
handsome panels between. The book-rackS will
be OF open-wOrk iron, something after the manner
OF gridiron. There will be four stories OF these
shelves, each about feet high. As they ascend
they Will encroach less and less upon the center OF
the rOOm so that the light from the immense sky.
light in the roof can lood the entire apartment An
aperture has been left In the wall for miniature
hydraulic elevator, which will carry man and
big pile Of books from one story OF the library to
another. This little elevator will be connected
with the power that runs the large elevators, and
will be very handy and little or no trouble:
Workmen are now engaged in laying the tile
floors In some OF the corridors, while In others this
work is finished. The closets on the upper floors
are entirely finished, while on the lower ones the
fixtures are all ready to be put in place.
HEATING AND VENTILATION.
The walls are all plastered, and as one looks at
their smooth surface he cannot realize what net
work Of pipes, holes lues. wires, &C., it conceals
Each room in the building is heated and venti-
little building in itself. Everything in it can be
burnt up without the possibility OF the ire spread
ing beyond its wallis In the corridor walls are
char-wOmen. Their sweepings are dropped in
these openings, and fall clear to the subbase-
ment, where they can be carted OF. Under the
tiled floors Of tho corridors are about miles Of
| lead-covered electric cables, which extend in
front Of every door, SO that with very little
trouble any room in the building can be connected
with any other room on any floor.
THE sTAIRwAYs AND ELEVATORS.
The airy flights of steps from one story to an
other, similar to those In the other wings, have
been erected, but the mahogany railing and the
bronze pillars have not yet been put in place The
elevator well Is In readiness for the elevators In
stead OF one large elevator as In the other wings
there will be two small elevators side by Slde which
will work Independently OF each other There seems
to be any amount Of room in the new building, but
when the scattered bureaus OF the War Depart
ment are brought together it IS feared that
the quarters will be somewhat contracted
The bureaus OF the Quartermaster General,
Paymaster General CHIEF OF Engineers, and so
much OF the Surgeon Generals ONCE as can not be
accommodated In the new Army medical library
building Will occupy these new wings The Sig
nal Service is the only bureau that will be allowed
to remain outside by Itself.
THE sEcRETARY'S OFFICE
The disposition OF the rooms has not yet been
made, but the Secretary OF War has decided to re-
move his Office to the room In the west wing
which corresponds to the room he now occupies
and Is OF about the same dimensions. The arrange
menJ OF the rooms in the vicinity, however, CORE
spends with those in the same locality in the Navy
Department. The Secretary's Office Will be deco
rated handsomely and in manner different from
any room in the department building. The Sec
retary Is desirOuS OF having his bureau chiefs
near him possible and the disposition OF rooms
Will be made with that object in view.
Interior Department Changes.
Joseph Stowers oi Mississippi, and J.P. Faucher,
of Arkansas, have been appointed special agents
I